Just upgraded: Hiface EVO!

[kamil]

Their website now has the EVO manual for download.

 

[kamil]

lennmax, it would not be a pure apples to apples comparison between the EVO and Standard as the EVO comes with an external power only and the Standard takes it from the computer only (unless modded). This alone may account for the marked improvement in sound, even with my $5 freebie USB cable.

 

All I can say is whichever way, there is a family resemblance to the improvement. Take what you liked about the Standard and add a multiplier just by using a basic wall wart supply.. If you use a super power supply such as the Paul Hynes, it is yet a major step from a 9v alkaline battery and so on..Which you would never be able to do with the Standard (unless you mod it like jkeny's).

 

Let me just say that if you include the price of a good power supply with the EVO, you will be amazed by the difference, provided your DAC is of sufficient quality. Get one from Red Wine Audio..they have a simpler store front than Hynes. But if you are into mods, do like what I did and customize a Paul Hynes module with Black Gates and there's no looking back.

 

One more thing that the EVO provides is its choice of digital outputs, clocks and power options. This is possibly one of the last interfaces I would be using in a while since there are so many peripheral upgrade options up to atomic clocks.

 

But wow! After 100hours of break-in, with my custom Paul Hynes/Black Gate, all I can say is that it is equivalent to a major DAC upgrade. It's a new era for me. Digital Computer Audio has finally surpassed the best vinyl.

 

[playback]

I've been trying to connect the EVO to my DAC through AES EBU but so far I couldn't get the DAC to lock to a signal.

I've tried another DAC with AES EBU input, a second cable, but no luck.

Changed between consumer and prof output mode but it didn't work either way.

Using the SPDIF output from the EVO, the DAC locks instantly and the sound is very good (on a 9V battery).

I'm using Win 7 (64) with driver v.1.03.141 Foobar and KS.

Has anybody been able to get the AES EBU ouput from the EVO to work ?

 

Thanks

 

 

[gcorley]

Interesting - You're the second person I've heard of (out of a total of 2) who tried the AES out and couldn't get it to work!

 

[ninekit]

Wondering how it compare with the C.A.S.H. listed Halide Design Bridge?

 

Thanks

 

[jkeny]

I wonder is the AES output too low a signal level? Has anybody tested this? In the original Hiface the SPDIF signal was too high!

 

[playback]

"I wonder is the AES output too low a signal level?"

 

According to the manual, AES/EBU output voltage of the EVO should be 2Vpp +/- 0.2V @ 110 Ohms.

 

Is there any easy (non expert) way to check this ?

 

The EVO manual mentions a supply voltage of 7 to 11VDC (15VDC max.)

I'm presently using a 9V battery (doesn't last long :-)) or a 9V power supply.

Maybe the AES output requires a slightly higher supply voltage to work ?

 

 

[jkeny]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can put a multimeter across the hot pin & it's shield to read a voltage?

 

No it doesn't require a higher voltage external supply - this is, I'm sure, regulated down to 3.3V, 1.8V & 5V? inside the Evo

 

[xsajohn]

I just received my EVO and running AES/EBU into my PS Audio PW Dac w a Kimber D60. No problem - sounds fantastic. A major improvement over my Hiface. SQ is very close to my PWT running I2S into the DAC.

 

This is with no "break in" and using the std wall wart.

 

[kamil]

I could not get this output to work either, even when switched to the Pro option. Coax works fine but i find with ST optical, i had to cycle between inputs a couple of times before it would lock. ST works a treat though and anyone who has a chance should really try it, as it is so much better than the others.

 

I have a feeling the clock is not locking on AES and am going to try a couple of other DACs.

 

[playback]

I've tried the EVO using the AES EBU output with two different DACs in both consumer and professional mode.

 

I also tried two different AES EBU cables.

 

I could never get the DACs to lock with the EVO.

 

Both DACs work fine in SPDIF with the EVO.

 

Xsajohn, I'm also using a Kimber D60 but with the SPDIF RCAs.

I didn't knew Kimber made that cable with XLR connectors (AES EBU).

I thought the D60 was a 75 Ohm cable.

 

[Encore]

Does anyone know how much current the EVO draws? I have a Bolder power supply for the SB Duet, which takes 9V, so supposedly I should be able to use that if the current draw from the EVO isn't too big ...?

 

[xsajohn]

Correction - it's a Kimber DX50.

 

[cscuzzo]

I am curious which ST cable you used in this trial. I tossed my old ST cable when I sold my ARC transport/DAC years ago. I never imagined using ST again until I got my Wadia 781 and read your post on the Evo. So now I have to shop again.

 

[kamil]

The Evo manual says the ST cable must be a '62.5/125uM multicore (multi mode?) glass optical fiber' and this is the type that comes with the Wadia. I believe you can google this for a supplier since it is widely used in the communications industry. I think you can also look at these links.

 

http://cableorganizer.com/fiber-optic-jumpers/fiber-optic-multimode62.htm

 

http://www.superaudiocenter.com/Pricing.htm

 

Since you already have a Wadia, it would be a real waste if you don't try the ST.

 

You should find with the ST over Coax, a super crystalline treble with shimmering cymbals, superior depth perspective, and more 'swing' to the music.

 

[cscuzzo]

I've wondered about the wide disparity between "real world" ST cables and the ones aimed at audiophiles. TAS did a review of Wadia's top-of-the-line transport and DAC a few years ago, and the reviewer ended up using $1K ST cables (requiring 6 cables, I recall). Madness. I wonder if his opinion would change if the $5K Aural Symphonics Excelon Digital v1 ST cable had been available. $30K to wire a DAC.

 

http://thecableco.com/product.php?id=1721

 

 

[barrows]

Do you have the same "wonder..." about the difference between "real world" automobile tires and the ones aimed at high performance sports car owners?

While I agree, in a sense, that the Wadia example you site is somewhat over the top (I remember the review), it makes sense if one considers that the set up in question was an all out attempt at no compromise performance, and the reviewer was taking all of the possible steps to eek out that last little bit of performance. In this case I say kudos to the reviewer, who took every effort to get every last little bit of performance out of the kit and report on it (instead of just hooking it up with whatever he had laying about).

Consider that this Wadia rig was analagous to a Formula 1 car, and then consider Formula 1 tires compared to "real world" tires...

 

[cscuzzo]

Sorry, I was not implying that expensive cables cannot be worth it. I am embarrassed to tell anyone outside my audio friends that my one 40' pair of interconnects cost me over $10K (Transparent Reference XL MM2).

 

Aside from that, my point is that the reviewer didn't like the sound of the $40K transport/DAC when fed from the ST cables provided by Wadia. So I'm happy the Evo can actually sound great without resorting to expensive cables.

 

To quote:

 

"It turns out that good optical cable isn’t cheap, as I ruefully discovered during the course of optimizing the system (see sidebar). I achieved excellent results using Aural Symphonics Optimism v2.2006, and I wouldn’t dream of owning this system without them."

...

"So is the 270se/Series 9 worth $40,000? In purely sonic terms, my view is that it is not."

 

He then goes on to say part of the reason is the performance of much less expensive units, such as the

[barrows]

the reviewer actually wrote this:

 

"So is the 270se/Series 9 worth $40,000? In purely sonic terms, my view is that it is not."

 

It really is not part of a reviewer's job to make a value judgment such as this, only someone considering purchasing such a device should be making this kind if judgement.

 

Certainly the above set up would not be "worth" $40K to me personally, even if it does marginally improve on the much more affordable single box player; but it may be "worth" $40K to someone else... Only the end user/consumer can decide what any given component is worth to them. In any case, I am happy that there are audio companies that continue to push the envelope of what is possible when cost/complexity limitations are ignored; just as in my example of F1, cost no object design freedom can and does result in innovation that can then trickle down to more reasonably priced gear.

 

[edorr]

JG, a buddy of mine is beta testing the bridge for the perfect wave dac and says there are major stability issues which he guesses will take a long time to resolve. Of course he could be wrong, but I had been banking on the bridge for high-end computer audio and am reluctant to wait for another few months. It sounds like the Hiface Evo would be a very nice alternative (or at least interim solution). Do you know if the I2S interface would work with the Perfect Wave DAC? I will ask M2Tech myself directly, but since you already own all the pieces I thought you might have some insight.

 

[barrows]

It should work with the PWD. You would have to get a custom cable made up, RJ-45 on Evo end and HDMI on PWD end. I believe PS Audio will share the I2S over HDMI pin outs freely, so no problem there. I would recommend keeping the I2S cable as short as possible, under 6" if possible.

The specs for the Evo's I2S are posted at the M2 tech site. I would recommend copying these specs, and sending an inquiry to PS Audio tech support to get them to confirm that the Evo's I2S out is compatable with the PWD.

 

[edorr]

That is excellent news. Would you agree the I2S interface should sound better than S/PDIF and AES? PS Audio is telling the world to get the best out of the PWD you need the Perfect Wave Transport with the I2S interface... Also, any idea who could make such a cable. Apparently PS audio has a very good cable that goes between the PWT and PWD. I could buy one of those, cut it off on one end and connect an RJ-45. Finally, why the recommendation for such a short piece of cable for the I2S signal to travel?

 

[I. G.]

that the reviewer clearly states his opinion instead of some smoke and mirrors or kissing the manufacturer's arse for more ad revenue.

 

[xsajohn]

I agree that with the proper pin-outs, the I2S option should work. I'd also be interested in comparing that to the AES or Spdif options.

 

Maybe Drew @ Moon Audio or the guys @ Blue Jeans Cables would offer such a service if we supply the tech data? I'll ping them & report back.

 

[xsajohn]

One option I'll investigate is to buy a cheap HDMI cable (e.g. Amazon basics) and crimp a RJ45 onto one end.